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This document outlines an online course about understanding video games. The course has 11 lessons that will: 1) develop terminology to discuss video games, 2) explore how theoretical frameworks interpret games, and 3) apply theories to understand video games' cultural impact. Students will gain insight into the relationship between game designers, players, and games. Each lesson includes short video lectures, integrated quizzes, and required/suggested readings. Tests follow each lesson, with midterm and final exams for students taking the course for university credit.

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54 views3 pages

Course Outline: Help Center

This document outlines an online course about understanding video games. The course has 11 lessons that will: 1) develop terminology to discuss video games, 2) explore how theoretical frameworks interpret games, and 3) apply theories to understand video games' cultural impact. Students will gain insight into the relationship between game designers, players, and games. Each lesson includes short video lectures, integrated quizzes, and required/suggested readings. Tests follow each lesson, with midterm and final exams for students taking the course for university credit.

Uploaded by

jcvoscrib
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Course Outline

Help Center

Welcome to Understanding Video Games!


Video games are a globally entrenched entertainment medium that entertains, informs and challenges us.
These games are defined by, and define our modern culture. In this course, students will learn how to study
games and engage in informed discussions about them. Ultimately, this course is about understanding the
literacy of video games.
The three main parts of the course are:
1. developing the terminology that enables us to talk about video games;
2. exploring how these terms are used in theoretical frameworks to interpret games, and;
3. turning these theories toward cultural aspects of games in order to understand how the medium has
impacted society.
One of the most important insights students will gain from the course will be an understanding of the
interplay between video game designers, players and the games themselves.

For information on how non-UAlberta students can earn course credit, please see the FAQs below on this
page.
Understanding Video Games is part of an ongoing program of research into digital learning conducted by
the University of Alberta and therefore anonymized data provided by Coursera and survey information can
be made accessible to the researchers.

Lesson 1: Introduction
In this short lesson, students will learn what to expect from the course, and will be introduced to our avatar
creation module.

Lesson 2: Play and Games


Here, students will gain an appreciation for the differences between play and games. Game taxonomy and
a definition of rules will be covered.

Lesson 3: Emergent and Progressive Gameplay


This lesson focuses on the difference between two major gameplay types, and how they impact our
experience of video games.

Lesson 4: Game Mechanics


Students are introduced to the concepts of ludology, structuralism and the mechanics-dynamics-aesthetics
approach to game analysis

Lesson 5: Story and Games


We explore the concept of games as stories, as well as the importance of narrative in video game
presentation. Campbell's monomyth theory is thoroughly explained and applied to game stories.

Lesson 6: Interpreting Games


How can structuralist and post-structuralist analysis lead us to a better understanding of "how games
mean?" This lesson will introduce students to a number of theoretical frameworks for analyzing games.

Lesson 7: Gaming Culture


Here students will be introduced to the concept of semiotics and how language is used in inclusionary and
exclusionary game community practices. Indie game producers and modding groups are also discussed
during this lesson.

Lesson 8: Violence and Games


Discussions around violence and games seem to go hand-in-hand. Why is this? What purposes are served
by violence and its portrayal in video games? These are some of the questions engaged by this lesson.

Lesson 9: Sex and Games


In this lesson, the subjects of sexuality, gender and the portrayal of sex are discussed. In addition, there is
a module on women in the game industry.

Lesson 10: Race and Games


The subjects of race and racial stereotypes are explored in this lesson. The student will discover that race
and racial conflict drive gameplay and narrative in numerous game genres, yet is a subject seldom
broached in scholarly discussions.

Lesson 11: Serious Games


Games can be used for teaching and training, and this genre is called serious games. Here, students will
learn about industry's co-opting of game theory and practice as they endeavour to engage their workforce.
Methods of player retention are explored in this lesson.

Suggested Readings
Each lesson is accompanied with a required reading and a suggestion for additional readings that you may
enjoy.

Course Format
This class consists of lecture videos from 1-8 minutes in length, interspersed with integrated quiz questions
in addition to a unit test after each of the 11 lessons. Students taking the course for credit in STS 351:

Understanding Video Games at the University of Alberta will be required to take a midterm and final exam
as well.

Created Mon 25 Feb 2013 8:18 PM PET


Last Modified Fri 29 Aug 2014 12:01 PM PET

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